Arthur h



7 (No Model.)

A. H. WILSON.

VEHICLE BRAKE.

No. 400,887. Patented Apr. 2. 1889.

UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. \VILSON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GUSTAV F. VOGEL, OF SAME PLACE.

VEHICLE-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,887, dated April 2, 1889.

Application filed December 17, 1888. Serial No. 293,909. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. WiLsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Brakes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

By means of my improved brake pressure may be brought tobear upon the sides as well as upon the periphery of a wheel, and, if desired, the wheel of a heavily-loaded wagon may be so firmly clutched and looked as to prleivent its revolving in descendinga steep The improvement consists in the features of novelty and combinations hereinafter claimed.

The most desirable mode of carrying out my improvement is shown in the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved brake and a section of a wagon-wheel. Fig. 2 is a top view. Fig. 3 is a horizontal crosssection along the line 3 4, Fig. 1, showing the jaws of the grip open. Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-section along the same line, showing the aws of the grip closed.

Similar letters refer to similar parts.

A represents the case containing the unexposed portion of the mechanism. It is shown secured to a brake-lever, O. In Fig. 1 achain, a is shown attached to the case A by means of the eye a Such a chain may be used to bear part of the weight of the brake, and-may be attached at its upper end to the vehiclebed or other support. The case may be attached to the brake beam or lever in any convenient way; but where the brake is used on a wagon I prefer to provide the case with a 'socket like the one shown in Fig. 1, and lettered a, in which the end of the lever-arm of the brake may be inserted, and to fasten the case to such arm by means of a set-screw such as is shown in the drawings, and lettered a.

B represents a section of a wagon-wheehof which I) is the tire.

0 represents a lever or brake-beam.

D represents the shoe or brake-block, which may be of any convenient shape.

' The parts (1 (Z and d are guards attached to the shoe, which extend back over the top of the case A and sidewise over the jaws c c" to a sufficient distance to prevent the instrumentfrom becoming clogged with mud when in use. I prefer to use such a guard or guards,

but they are not absolutely essential.

d is a part extending back from the shoe into the case A. It is preferably provided with the sockets d d for the reception of the ends of the lever-arms of the grips, e c. It is also preferably provided with an extension, 01, adapted to move back and forth, and the end of which fits into a guide or socket, a.

E E represent parts the jaws c c of which when closed clasp the rim of the wheel shown in connection therewith. In Figs. 1 and 4: the jaws are shown closed. In Figs. 2 and 3athey are represented as open. These parts E E, which I will call grips, are pivoted to the case A by means of the pivots a a and the jaws e e are caused to clasp the rim of the wheel in the particular mechanism shown by the forward movement of the case A when the sole or brake-block rests against the periphery of the wheel and pressure is applied by means of a lever-arm or brake-beam attached to the case A. The jaws e e are shown open in Figs. 2 and 3, and closed upon the rim of the wheel B in Figs. 1 and 4.

It will be obvious to any skilled mechanic that it is not essential that the grips E E should be of the form shown, though I prefer that form, and that they may be combined with the shoe D, a lever-arm,and a spring in various ways (not shown in the drawings) without departing from the substance of my invention. All that is essential is that the grips E E should be provided with lever arms or equivalent parts, through which motion may be communicated to the jaws e c. As will be obvious, such lever arms or equivalent parts may be either of many shapes and need not extend in the direction shown in the drawings. It is not essential that said jaws should be closed by a backward movement of the part engaging their lever-arms or equivalent parts. So far as the essence of my invention is concerned, it is immaterial whether said jaws are operated by a forward or backward movement of the part engaging therewith. \Vhero the grips are pivoted to a part not rigidly attached to the shoe or brake-block they may be so formed and arranged as to cause the jaws to close by a forward movement of the part to which they are pivoted after the shoe is brought into contact with the periphery of a wheel in various ways, as will be seen at a glance. Where they are pivoted to a part rigidly attached to the shoe or brake-block or are pivoted to such shoe or brake-block, they may be so formed and arranged with reference to a part connected with the brake lever or beam as to be closed bya forward movement of such part after the shoe or brake-block comes in contact with the periphery of the wheel. All that is essential is that the lever-arm or brake-beam and parts thereto attached should be so arranged that they may be moved forward after the brakeshoe is brought in contact with the periphery of the wheel.

\Vhere the brake is placed in the usual position, so that the force of gravity cannot be made use of, it is very desirable to use a spring and to communicate pressure from the brake lever or beam to the shoe through such spring. It is desirable to communicate the pressure to the shoe in this way not only where grips are used, but also where they are not; but is especially desirable in the former case. I believe myself to be the first to use a spring in this way. In Fig. 3 the spring (1 is shown expanded, the pressure being insuflieient to compress it and close the jaws e e. In Fig. 4 it is shown compressed sufficiently to allow the haft of the shoe D to enter the case A far enough to close the jaws of the grip by pressing the lever-arms e c inward. \Vhere it is desired to apply the grips whenever the shoe is pressed against the wheel, the spring should be made weak enough to be easily compressed; but where the intention is that the jaws shall only be used in exceptional cases the spring should be made strong enough to resist considerable pressure and prevent its being readily compressed. The spring shown is a spiral spring, resting at one end against the inner end of the case A and at the other against the shoulder (Z of the haft (1" of the shoe. I consider the arrangement shown in the drawings very desirable in every way; but it may readily be varied and a different form of spring used without departing from the embodied idea, as will be seen at a glance, and I do not con fine myself to that sort of a spring or that particular arrangement, as I have alcaused to close upon the rim of the wheel and assume the position shown in Fig. 4. This movement will also compress the spring d as shown. When the brake-lever is unlocked and the pressure removed from the spring (Z it immediately expands and forces the haft d and parts thereto attached outward, carrying the arms e 6 forward, and thus causing the jaws e e to open; but, as hereinbeforc stated, my invention may be embodied in other forms operating somewhat differently, but embodying the same general idea and operating upon the same principle. I desire to cover all equivalents. It is desirable to have the jaws of the grip curve outward at the ends, substantially as shown in the drawings, but it is not essential that they should do so. \Vhen they are so curved, they assist to guide the wheel to the shoe. The word forward where it is used in this specification and the claims hereof means toward the periphery of the adjoining wheel, and the words back and backward mean away from it.

I claim 1. In a brake, the combination of a pair of pivoted grips, a brake shoe or block, and a lever or beam, all so arranged and combined that the brake lever or beam and the part or parts rigidly attached thereto may be moved forward after the shoe or block is brought into contact with the periphery of the wheel, so as to cause the jaws of the grips to clasp the rim of the wheel, for the purposes set forth.

2. In a brake, the combination of a pair of pivoted grips each provided with a jaw and a lever-arm or analogous part, a brake shoe or block, and a brake lever or beam, all so connected together, arranged, and combined that the brake lever or beam and the part or parts rigidly attached thereto may be moved forward after the shoe or block is brought into contact with the periphery of the wheel, and so move the lever-arms of the grips as to cause the jaws thereof to grip the rim of the wheel, for the purposes set forth.

3. In a brake, the combination of a pair of pivoted grips each having alever-arm or analogous part and a jaw, a brake-shoe or brakeblock, a lever or brake-beam, and a spring, all so arranged and combined that pressure may be transmitted to the shoe or block through said spring, and the brake lever or beam and attached parts or part moved forward, so as to bring pressure upon the lever-arms of said grips and cause the jaws thereof to close upon the rim of the wheel, for the purposes described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand this 15th day of December, 1888.

ARTHUR H. WILSON.

Vitnesses:

GUSTAV F. VoeEL, D. W. A. SANFORD.

ITS 

